Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Archived topics about LMDE 1 and LMDE 2
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Monsta
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by Monsta »

ddurdle wrote:I tried upgrading one of my systems today and experienced this same problem that was reported earlier by another user

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
dpkg : Breaks: cups (< 1.7.5-10~) but 1.6.4-2 is to be installed
modemmanager : Breaks: network-manager (< 0.9.8.2-1) but 0.9.8.0-5 is to be installed
ppp : Breaks: network-manager (< 0.9.8.8-7~) but 0.9.8.0-5 is to be installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.

The advise provided was:
Edit by Clem: Hi Pete, try “apt install -f”. If you can’t solve the issues, remove the problematic packages, take a note of them and re-add them post-upgrade.

I had to remove cups and network-manager, and now I have no network connectivity. Any advise how to resolve. network-manager won't install due to conflcts.
Usual request - post the output of

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inxi -r
ddurdle
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by ddurdle »

Monsta wrote:
ddurdle wrote:I tried upgrading one of my systems today and experienced this same problem that was reported earlier by another user

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
dpkg : Breaks: cups (< 1.7.5-10~) but 1.6.4-2 is to be installed
modemmanager : Breaks: network-manager (< 0.9.8.2-1) but 0.9.8.0-5 is to be installed
ppp : Breaks: network-manager (< 0.9.8.8-7~) but 0.9.8.0-5 is to be installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.

The advise provided was:
Edit by Clem: Hi Pete, try “apt install -f”. If you can’t solve the issues, remove the problematic packages, take a note of them and re-add them post-upgrade.

I had to remove cups and network-manager, and now I have no network connectivity. Any advise how to resolve. network-manager won't install due to conflcts.
Usual request - post the output of

Code: Select all

inxi -r

I ended up modifying the /etc/network/interfaces file manually to get a network connection.

I realize now that the source of the problem is following the original advise posted at http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2013 . The note should be edited to reflect the solution of removing the sources /etc/apt/sources.list. I realize now it was in the latest version of the notes for upgrading to LMDE UP8 mentions deleting this file. You can't blame us, the users, especially since many people encountered this issue and will continue to encounter this issue. Many of us used the "original" install instructions provided here http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2544 when the UP8 pack was released. You will clearly note that the install instructions there say update the /etc/apt/sources.list, not remove the file. Many people who updated to UP8 early on following the original instructions will be in the exact same situation I'm in, and they'll be following the incorrect advice in the post here http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2013 about removing the packages.

I recommend the notes should be updated with an additional step advising that the /etc/apt/sources.list be removed if it exists.
Monsta
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by Monsta »

ddurdle wrote:You will clearly note that the install instructions there say update the /etc/apt/sources.list, not remove the file.
Of course - it's needed for upgrade. Removing it should be done after upgrade, as described in Update Pack notes.
ddurdle
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by ddurdle »

Monsta wrote:
ddurdle wrote:You will clearly note that the install instructions there say update the /etc/apt/sources.list, not remove the file.
Of course - it's needed for upgrade. Removing it should be done after upgrade, as described in Update Pack notes.
The community and blog installation UP8 instructions should be updated with the same step. They actually instruct the user to continue using sources.list which is completely opposite of the update pack notes. Clearly, a lot of people followed the community and blog installation instructions.

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]How to upgrade
1. Perform a system backup (otherwise you won’t be able to go back)

When things go wrong and you have a backup, the only thing you lose is time.

Make a backup of your system. We recommend the following tool: http://redobackup.org/

2. Switch to the official repositories (otherwise things will break)

Point to the official repositories to make sure everything is up to date:

Run “gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list” or “gksu pluma /etc/apt/sources.list” in a terminal to edit your APT sources.
Replace the content of the file with the lines below and save the file:
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest testing main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/security testing/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/multimedia testing main non-free

When you google the instructions to upgrade, you'll always hit on the official community and official blog and not realize the instructions are incorrect.

It would be best to add a one line in the LMDE 2 upgrade instructions that indicates to remove sources.list if it still exists. When I followed the instructions I asked myself if I needed to do this but sided with not doing it since I expected the instructions to advise. I don't want to add complications by doing extra steps that were not advised in the official LMDE 2 upgrade instructions, especially since the apt update seemed to be working and happy.
TomRoche

why our docs should be VCed

Post by TomRoche »

ddurdle wrote:The community and blog installation UP8 instructions should be updated with the same step. [...] When you google the instructions to upgrade, you'll always hit on the official community and official blog and not realize the instructions are incorrect.
FWIW, this is an example of why I believe our community (and open-sourcers generally) should be VCing their tutorials and other documents (and scripts, though that's another issue) in repositories, like this one. That way,
  1. OP can recommend changes via pull requests, which are highly consumable by document creators.
  2. should the document creator fail to maintain as recommended, OP can fork it easily, and still other people can see the fork.
  3. version history is public: should anyone need to point to a downlevel version, or `diff` versions, they can do so easily.
Given the huge numbers of free web VC providers, there's really no point in not VCing our docs. [/sermonette]
Monsta
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by Monsta »

ddurdle wrote:They actually instruct the user to continue using sources.list which is completely opposite of the update pack notes.
Which part tells the users to keep using sources.list after the upgrade?
ddurdle
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by ddurdle »

Monsta wrote:
ddurdle wrote:They actually instruct the user to continue using sources.list which is completely opposite of the update pack notes.
Which part tells the users to keep using sources.list after the upgrade?
Point #2. I included the link and included the snippet right in my post. There is no mention of "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list" anywhere.

I don't know why it would be so challenging to include the statement to remove any existing sources.list in the upgrade instructions to LMDE 8 since there are two separate sets of "official" instructions for the UP8, one that instructs on updating sources.list and doesn't mention anything about moving to "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list" and the other set that instructs on moving to "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list" and deactivating sources.list.

It is implied that we missed something when following the official steps when we moved to UP8. It would have made my upgrade to LMDE 2 run smoother had there been a warning on removing any pre-existing sources.list if it still exists. It would have saved me about 3 hours of troubleshooting had I not followed Clem's original recommendation on removing the troubled packages, and then try the upgrade.
Last edited by ddurdle on Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ddurdle
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Re: why our docs should be VCed

Post by ddurdle »

TomRoche wrote:
ddurdle wrote:The community and blog installation UP8 instructions should be updated with the same step. [...] When you google the instructions to upgrade, you'll always hit on the official community and official blog and not realize the instructions are incorrect.
FWIW, this is an example of why I believe our community (and open-sourcers generally) should be VCing their tutorials and other documents (and scripts, though that's another issue) in repositories, like this one. That way,
  1. OP can recommend changes via pull requests, which are highly consumable by document creators.
  2. should the document creator fail to maintain as recommended, OP can fork it easily, and still other people can see the fork.
  3. version history is public: should anyone need to point to a downlevel version, or `diff` versions, they can do so easily.
Given the huge numbers of free web VC providers, there's really no point in not VCing our docs. [/sermonette]
Agreed. These documents are very liable to be dynamic as users run into issues that were not anticipated and the maintainers revising or improving the steps. Lucky in this case nobody revised the original instructions that were posted, that I followed, so I can figure out if indeed I missed a step on each of the 6 systems I upgraded UP8 on.

Even Microsoft is VCing their documentation in GitHub for exactly this purpose.
Monsta
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by Monsta »

Which part tells the users to keep using sources.list after the upgrade?
ddurdle wrote:Point #2. I included the link and included the snippet right in my post.
Well it doesn't explicitly say what I've asked about.

ddurdle wrote:There is no mention of "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list" anywhere.
There is - in Update Pack notes.
APT sources handled by MintSources

After the upgrade to UP8 is complete, APT sources are managed by mintsources.

Run mintsources to generate new APT sources for you in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-packages-repositories.list
In its turn, Update Pack notes can't be missed during the upgrade because item 5 tells users to read them.
5. Read about the Update Pack (otherwise you’ll be asking things we already answered)

In the “Update Pack Info” window of the Update Manager, make sure to read all the information related to Update Pack 8. Some of it might be irrelevant to you, but it will only take you a minute and it might save you hours.
ddurdle
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by ddurdle »

Does anyone know what package provides the "appearances" icon in the mint-menu? After the upgrade, I noticed the icon is gone. I'm no longer able to make theme changes.

Also, right-click on desktop and select Change Desktop Background doesn't do anything.

Using MATE.

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Repos:     Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list
           deb http://repo.linrunner.de/debian jessie main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/dropbox.list
           deb http://linux.dropbox.com/ubuntu maverick main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
           deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
           deb http://packages.linuxmint.com betsy main upstream import
           deb http://http.debian.net/debian jessie main contrib non-free
           deb http://http.debian.net/debian jessie-updates main contrib non-free
           deb http://security.debian.org jessie/updates main contrib non-free
           deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org jessie main non-free
           deb http://extra.linuxmint.com betsy main
EDIT: I noticed mate-desktop-environment-extra and mate-desktop-environment-extras were no longer installed. Reinstalling them reinstalled a bunch of mate packages that went missing. Appearance is now back and I can now change the background wallpaper.
grumpyops

Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by grumpyops »

Hi, I still get the `no fonts` problem. I've discovered that selecting `Advanced options for LMDE 2 Mate 64-bit` at the grub boot screen, and then selecting the `sysvinit` option for the latest kernel, works every time. I'll continue to work it through, to see if I can isolate the cause.
UncleOp
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Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by UncleOp »

Posted this as a comment to the upgrade blog post and decided to bring the question at the end here, where it probably belongs:
I followed the steps above. Indeed took a long time, and I ended up with a system that booted - ssh and VNC into it were OK - but the display/X/video side on the console was trashed. Since my / and /home are on separate partitions it ended up being simpler - and quicker - to install LMDE 2 afresh. So far I have only had to re-install a few things, and the net result is that my system has experienced some long overdue "spring cleaning".

It is tempting to go back to pure Debian, but it is also really nice to have my video and audio Just Work in Mint, with out the typical Debian non-free twiddling. Probably a question for the forums, but what components in Mint/LMDE prevent the truly rolling/continuous updates that are part of core Debian?
Put another way, "why doesn't dist-upgrade" Just Work? Have searched lightly for the answer to that question before (a while back) and have come up empty; my apologies in advance if it is buried in this very thread. Pointers to this issue are most welcome!
killer de bug

Re: Updating existing LMDE 1 Systems to LMDE 2

Post by killer de bug »

I don't get the question.
Debian is not a rolling distro. And apt dist-upgrade just works great in LMDE.

So what point of your question am I missing?
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